Visa has arrived

Dear Family!!

What an amazing past week I have had! I don't know where to start! I guess to answer some questions quick…. I got one package with all the food!  So helpful Mom!!  Thank you!!  The Tiki Cup was awesome and a surprise haha

Today we got to go to the Salt Lake Temple.  It is so beautiful but I was so nervous I would run into people in SLC!!  I sat in the Celestial room and had the most mixed emotions of my life.  I remember sitting in the same room with Riley and mom.  So weird, but awesome!!  I have a really cool picture of me and Riley in front of the temple.  Now it is Elder Ramirez in Riles place haha.

Wednesday night I wrote in my journal, "I feel like I am going to get my visa soon."  The next morning I got a call from the mission office and they told me I had received my visa.  So amazing how the Lord had told me in my mind that I was leaving!  I leave Tuesday, Oct. 8 at 7:00pm.  I bought a calling card in the MTC, hopefully with enough time on it for the airport when I call. I will call you when I am in LA at about 9:30 pm.  Hopefully that all goes as planned but just be prepared for me to call at a random time in case I have a delay or something.  But I am so excited!!  A little nervous to go to a whole new area and meet all these new people but it will be awesome!  Everyone I talk to says Australia is amazing!

Yes I am sooo sad to leave!!  We have 6 baptisms in the next 4 weeks!!  People that would not even listen to the missionaries all of the sudden would and just crazy stories like that.

General Conference will be awesome!  Ralph works at the DI and said he got a new suite to look "fly" for General Conference.  I have a few people that I plan to keep in touch with when I return home in 2 years.  I can't wait for you all to meet Ralph and some others when I get home.  I really got so lucky to be able to go to the Temple and be at General Conference before I leave.

I have two really cool stories that happened about 1-2 days ago. We were riding our bikes down the street and this lady we passed yelled at us to come over.  She told us she has two little kids ages 1 and 2.  She is covered in tats and is a shorter half Hispanic woman.  We set up an appt. to go meet her and one of her friends.  Later that night we find out she is from west valley just needing to get away.  She skipped her BAPTISM date to move and asked us if she could be baptized!!  Does that happen??? NO!  So that was really cool and we are working with her and she is planning on being baptized next month.

Next story, Sunday night we meet with one of 5 Ward Mission Leaders. He tells us about this random lady who walks into the church and says that God told her to come here. We got her address and headed over a few hours later. Her name is Hazel and she has had a very, very rough life. She said the first time she didn't cry in the last 3 weeks was Sunday morning when she had this feeling to go to Church. It happened to be an LDS church.  She said she needs god in her life and we put her on date to be baptized! 2 miracles occur in 2 days!  What a blessing that is. I know all mission work doesn't just appear to us like that but in this case it did.

Thank you all for your emails and support! I couldn't do it without all of you!  It has truly been a blessing to serve in SLC and be able to develop the relationships that I have developed.  The Testimony I have gained and the knowledge that I have will be awesome to take to Australia and get to work.  I wouldn't change a second of the Mission or rather be home.  This is amazing and such a great opportunity I have.  I am having the time of my life and I am only In SLC!  Wait til Australia!! hahaha 

Thank you so much for everything.  I am looking forward to working hard this next week and leaving the mission with a lot of baptisms and the opportunity to share the Gospel.  I love you all more that you can imagine! Have an amazing week!!

Love, Alex